


Vital

by rosegold04



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Bodily Fluids, Epilepsy, Gen, Graphic Depictions of Seizures, Medical Conditions, Mentions of medication, Seizures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29347536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosegold04/pseuds/rosegold04
Summary: Sleep was a vital part of Mikey's life. Of course, pretty much everyone loves sleep, but he practically needed a solid sleep schedule to keep himself functioning. If he didn't keep that schedule, his body would freak out on him and throw him to the floor convulsing.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	Vital

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning for (hopefully) medically accurate seizures. That includes mentions of blood, piss, and puke. None of these mentions are very descriptive, but just a warning ^-^

Sleep was a vital part of Mikey's life. Of course, pretty much everyone loves sleep, but he practically needed a solid sleep schedule to keep himself functioning. If he didn't keep that schedule, his body would freak out on him and throw him to the floor convulsing.

Sure, medicine was a wonderful thing. It did most of the work at keeping his seizures at bay, but it wasn't a catchall cure. However, Mikey still had a strict schedule and diet to keep his body happy. It had worked for the longest time, and he hadn't had a seizure in at least three years.

He knew he was pushing his luck by studying most of the night for finals. In his defense, it was his first year of high school, and it was his first set of legit final exams. It was when he woke up at 10AM on top of his open set of notes, rather than at 7AM in his warm bed, he realized he may be a bit screwed.

\---

Mikey trudged into the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He picked up his pills container marked with each day of the week and squinted at it.

"Hey Don." He gained the attention of his sleepy brother, who was nursing a cup of coffee at the kitchen island. "What day is it?"

"Sunday."

He looked back down at his pill holder and frowned. Normally, it would be refilled by now, but the only capsule that was filled was Saturday. Which meant...

"Aw, crap."

"Hm?" Donnie blinked and looked up from his mug.

"I missed a day." Mikey grimaced and popped open the capsule marked with 'SA,' dumping it into his palm. Two small pills for his epilepsy, and one larger one for his ADHD.

Donnie probably said something as he refilled the holder (leaving Sunday empty), but his head was too fuzzy to latch onto any actual words. When he turned around, though, the room was empty.

His stomach churned for a second, making him curse to himself. If he didn't eat soon, the meds would start fighting him.

Apparently, that was easier said than done. His stomach didn't want anything in the kitchen; not that he really felt like cooking, anyway. He settled for a couple pieces of toast with a bit of butter on them. His brain went fuzzy again, and he was suddenly on the couch beside Leo and Raph. His toast was already half gone, and his throat was dry.

"You okay, Mikey?" Leo asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Uh..." He cleared his throat, trying to get his tongue working again. "Yeah, 'm jus' kinda out of it, I guess."

Leo didn't seem to fully believe him, but he dropped it and turned back to the TV that Mikey didn't realize was on. The 13 year old took another bite of his small breakfast, ignoring the strange flutter in his stomach. He didn't feel sick anymore, just a bit... anxious, or something similar. He wasn't sure.

"... key. Mikey!"

He jumped, face to face with Raph. His plate wasn't on his lap anymore, and his vision was starting to tunnel.

"Are you good? You zoned out like... mega hard for a bit there." Raph asked, a weird look of concern on his face.

"Mm..."

Mikey couldn't force his vocal cords to work. He simply groaned and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, leaning back into the couch cushions. His limbs felt heavy and almost as if they were buzzing like they were filled with tiny, annoying bees.

"I think you had an absence seizure, Mike." Leo's voice came from right beside him and miles away at the same time. That was when he realized.

 _Oh shit_ was the only thing running through his dissolving brain as he hefted his body back into sitting up. He immediately fell into Raph, his arms twitching.

"G-gon'... s-s... s..."

His own voice sounded disconnected from him. It was the last thing he remembered before the static overtook his brain, and unconsciousness fell over him.

\---

"What the _hell--_ " Raph grunted, barely catching the load of little brother that landed against him. His anger immediately melted away when he noticed the tremors running through Mikey's arms, replaced with borderline terror.

"Get him on the ground." Leo stood and pushed the coffee table out of the way. He turned back on his knees to see Raph put a pillow off of the couch under Mikey's head. "Get Donatello."

Mikey's eyes fluttered unnaturally, only showing the whites of his eyes. His entire body suddenly convulsed when Leo turned him to his side, all while keeping track of the time with his watch. It only took a second for Raph and Donnie to run back in.

Choked noises escaped Mikey's throat with each movement. Frothy spit started dripping from his lips to the cushion, thin streaks of red mingling with the puddle as his chattering teeth clamped on his tongue and cheeks to the point of bleeding.

"It's okay, Michelangelo." Donnie knelt by his head, combing his fingers through the tangled mess of curls. "You'll be okay in a second."

When the seizes started slowing down, Raph left again and came back with a couple dark towels.

His eyes fell shut. His body was still tense, and he had slight aftershocks still running through him every couple seconds, but it was over. 2 minutes and 13 seconds.

"Michelangelo?" Leo said softly, wiping away the bloody spit with one of the towels.

_"Mmph..."_

"It's okay. You just had a seizure. Just breathe through it, you'll come to soon."

After a few minutes of coaxing, it looked like he was starting to become responsive. That is, until his eyes rolled back again and he was thrown into another convulsion.

 _"Fuck--_ I can't watch another one." Raph hid his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

"It's okay, go. He'll be fine." Leo urged. The 16 year old let out a tight breath and nodded, escaping to his room.

Mikey flipped onto his back, arching off the ground with a gurgle. Donnie sprang into action before Leo could, turning him back onto his side just in time for a mouthful of bile to spurt from his mouth. Leo winced and wiped it the best he could, laying the towel down to prepare for more.

"Put a towel on his legs." Donnie said, his hand back in Mikey's hair.

"Why?"

"He's peeing."

He cringed again and draped the extra towel over the growing wet spot on Mikey's jeans.

Thankfully, this one only lasted a minute and a half. The boy collapsed, his breathing shaky and erratic. His eyelids cracked open and blinked a few times.

"... Wh't th' fuck..." He whispered.

"You had a couple seizures, Mike." Leo felt for his brother's racing pulse. "Do you know where you are?"

"Mm..." Mikey moaned. His lips twitched. "G'nna puke."

Before either of them could react, he was retching over the towel, his breakfast splattering across it. Donnie held him up by his shoulders and kept him steady until he finished and fell limp.

"Mikey?" Leo swiped a piece of sweaty hair off of his brother's forehead.

"Hm...?"

"Do you know where you are?"

"Mmm..." He hummed and peeked through his eyelids, clearing his throat. "L'ving room?"

"Yes, good. Do you recognize us?"

"Leo... 'nd Don."

"Yeah bud. How're you feeling now? Wanna try sitting up?" Leo smiled softly.

"Uh... mmmaybe?"

Leo and Donnie worked together to lift him off the ground to lean against the couch. He laid his head back on the cushion and breathed heavily. His face was pale, with prominent dark circles beneath his eyes.

"You doing okay?" Donnie asked, rubbing his arm soothingly. Mikey blinked and rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"'M tired." He said, his voice rough. He let his hands fall and revealed a guilty look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Leo asked. Donnie started gathering the dirty towels and taking them to the laundry room to take care of.

"... 'S my fault I had a seizure." Mikey muttered. "I accidentally missed a day, 'nd then stayed up too late studying."

The eldest brother frowned a bit. "Why were you staying up late?"

"Finals." He said simply, wrapping his arms around himself. He looked exhausted.

"... What's done is done. Let's just get you to bed for now." Leo stood and helped Mikey up, wrapping an arm around his waist to keep him steady as he led him to his room. He got him into clean clothes and into bed, tucking his blankets around him. "I'll leave your door open a bit, so try and yell if you feel another seizure coming on."

Mikey nodded and closed his eyes, cuddling into his pillows. He heard Leo quietly leave the room as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> lame ending lmao


End file.
